Australia: Environmental Law

As the first wave of disclosures has wrapped up, attention has turned to the next climate reporting cycles - particularly for June and September year-end companies. The question now is: what lessons can organisations take forward?

Our monthly ESG bulletin provides a targeted snapshot of key developments we see as reflecting the “must know” trends in the Australian market.

The Australian government has commenced Tranche 2 of the EPBC Act reforms, establishing the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) and Environment Information Australia (EIA) as independent bodies. While these institutional changes take effect immediately, key substantive amendments including new tests for unacceptable impacts, net gain offsets, and national environmental standards remain pending until December 2026.

Treasury's latest consultation on Australia's Sustainable Investment Product Labelling regime introduces mandatory consumer-facing disclosures and asset-based thresholds for financial products marketed with sustainability claims. The proposed framework aims to combat greenwashing while providing retail investors with clearer information about the sustainability characteristics of their investments. Meanwhile, new gender equality targets take effect for large employers, and multiple statutory reviews are res

The NSW Government has proposed a new Climate Change and Natural Hazards State Environmental Planning Policy to consolidate climate change controls and strengthen climate risk assessment in development planning.

In the month since the commencement of the Iran war, the initial impacts on fuel prices have spread to materials and labour affected by either the rise in transport costs or the rise in the cost of oil as an input in the manufacturing process.

Critical role of operational-level grievance mechanisms in ensuring responsible and sustainable business conduct when operating in conflict-affected and high-risk areas.

On 18 September 2025, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Australia's commitment to a 62%–70% reduction in emissions by 2035, compared to 2005 levels.

Onshore wind energy projects, including those with battery energy storage system (BESS), face the highest average costs for obtaining State significant development...